This is The Digital Story Podcast #675, Feb. 19, 2019. Today's theme is "Canon EOS RP - Mirrorless Rebel or Modern 5D?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The ground is still shaking from Canon's announcement of a full-frame mirrorless camera for $1,300. Are they bringing their successful Rebel strategy to the mirrorless space, or is this something more? Also, a follow-up and correction to last week's show on copyright protection. All of this, and more, on today's TDS photography podcast.

Canon EOS RP - Mirrorless Rebel or Modern 5D?

One of Canon's best marketing moves was creating the Rebel brand, long before digital. This gave them the ability to introduce new technology in a less rugged package for a very affordable price.

As I look at the just-announced Canon EOS RP, I'm feeling that wave of genius all over again. Let's take a look at its specs.

• 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
• DIGIC 8 Image Processor
• UHD 4K and Full HD 1080 Video
• 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
• 3" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 AF Points
• ISO 100-40000, Up to 5 fps Shooting
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connectivity
• The RP has a few extra features such as the intervalometer function and 4K Video Time-lapse. It also has a silent shutter mode (electronic).
• Headphone and mic ports

But there are a few things missing as well.

• No sensor-based image stabilization (For video there is an electronic option that works with optical stabilisation.)
• 5 fps continuous shooting (4fps with AF Tracking enabled) 50 frame limit in RAW format.
• 250 shots you get from the LP-E17 battery in the EOS RP
• There are currently four lenses available and the brand has announced the development of six more in 2019. Most of these lenses (fast zooms and primes) are on the expensive side however. The most affordable zoom is the 24-105mm which still costs around $1K. The system needs more affordable kit lenses that can better suit a camera like the RP. Canon includes an RF to EF adapter in the box so that you can have access to its vast selection of DSLR lenses. However given the compact design of the RP, this solution will likely unbalance the camera.
• Minimum weather sealing - no gaskets.
• No built-in flash.
• Operating temperature only down tp 32 degrees f.
• No top LCD screen

All in all, I think that the specs for the RP are very impressive. And if you didn't have to mount a lens on this camera, it's a bargain.

But you do, and the 24-105mm RF lens is roughly a $900, and weighs 1.5 pounds. The best choice right now is the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens, which is available for $450. After that, the affordable pickings are pretty slim.

Overall, the Canon EOS RP goes beyond the Rebel series and is more like a lightweight 5D at its introduction. And once there are lenses for this camera, photographers can make real decisions about its usefulness for their work.

Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Move images from one gallery to another - You have uploaded photos to a gallery but think some of them would fit better in a different one. You don't actually need to manually delete them and upload them again -- we've saved you some time and made it effortless. Select the images that you wish to transfer and choose the new gallery under the drop-down menu Move to gallery.

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

Photo Challenge: Up Close

Congratulations to Craig Tooley, the honored image in our Up Close photo challenge for his mushroom image. Craig wrote, "It was shot held on a beanbag at 1/8 of a second with what I would list as a lenses I would be hard-pressed to give up, the Olympus 60 mm f2.8 would be one of those lenses. It's very sharp I think and fast and light and is just exquisite on the Olympus OMD EM1 mark 2." Craig will be upgraded to a Pro Membership for his efforts.

To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

Follow Up to Last Week's Show about Copyrights for Photographers

I received some very helpful email from listeners after last week's interview with Maggie Hallahan about copyrights for photographers. I'd like to share a couple of them with you now. None of this is legal advice. Rather, these are real life experiences of photographers in our audience.

Scott Davenport wrote: "Caught up on TDS 674 today. Interesting info from Maggie about the business side of her client dealings.

With copyright though, I am pretty sure the registration of an unlimited number of photos is gone as of mid-2018. Whether it is published or unpublished works, a single application is capped at 750 images. It's much more expensive to register all photos from a given shoot, especially if you're a prolific photographer (i.e. weddings and events).

For my work, I copyright only my published works. There is a provision that, so long as your application is submitted within 90 days of first publication, you can get full protection under copyright law. It takes an amount of discipline, but very doable. To the point you raised in the podcast about workflow, this might be of interest to your audience.

Mayra Martinez wrote: "I just finished listening to your latest podcast (#674) on copyright. I need to point out that some of the points made by your host are no longer current:

1. Unlimited submissions are a thing of the past. Group submissions of unpublished photographs are limited to no more than 750 photos.

2. In addition to submitting the digital photos, completing the online submission (preferred method by copyright office) requires a list with title and file name for each photo in the group.

These two points are part of the following pdf in the copyright.gov site: https://www.copyright.gov/eco/gruph-transcript.pdf. (Definitely check out this link!)

The changes in the number of images per submission were implemented on 2/20/2018. More draconian measures were about to be made later in the year, but the public comment period was extended until June 21, 2018, and then everything stopped. You can read about it in Ed Greenberg's and Jack Reznicki's The Copyright Zone post on May 24, 2018.

A big thanks to both Scott and Mayra for there contributions to this conversation.

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've started registrations for Sonoma Coast Exploration, and it looks like we have two seats open. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper - Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

The software we have on the backend can help free us from cumbersome equipment at capture. One example is my "weekend kit" that I carry with me when out and about with family and friends.

In one pocket, I have an iPhone X for all the usual reasons. And in the other, I often carry the Fujifilm XF10. Even though it fits in my front jeans pocket, it sports a lovely Fujinon aspherical lens and an APS-C image sensor. Plus it communicates with the iPhone to record location data as I shoot. (I love geotags!)

Most of the grab shots are in Jpeg mode, but if I come across a scene that would benefit from RAW, I can capture a .RAF file with the simple press of a button the the back of the camera. By doing so, I have all of my options available to me later in post production.

"In Between Storms" - Fujifilm XF10 - Photo by Derrick Story

Once I return home, I have a specific workflow that helps me maximize the content that I've captured in the field. I process the RAW files in Capture One Pro 12. This latest version does a great job with Fujifilm RAW files, pulling out all of the color and detail. Plus, while I'm there, I can fine tune the image a bit with the new Luminosity mask or a graduated screen.

"Gazebo on a Rainy Day" - Fujifilm XF10 - Photo by Derrick Story

There are lots of things that I could do at this point. And to be honest, this is where most photographers will diverge from my workflow. But I'm going to tell you anyway.

I then export a maximum resolution Tiff file, import it into Photos for macOS Mojave, and use the Luminar 3 Editing Extension to finish the shot.

One of the reasons why I move my best shots to Photos after processing in Capture One Pro 12 is because of iCloud. The image is automatically backed up and propagated to all of my devices. I can use it right away for Flickr, Instagram, Facebook, etc. Plus, I have the good feeling of knowing that my favorite work is archived without any further effort on my behalf.

The other reason is because the Luminar 3 editing extension is just so darn good. The finishing touches I apply with that app really make a difference, and the changes are automatically saved to the images in iCloud.

Side Note: Luminar 3 is on sale for 29 percent off through Feb. 18, 2019. That's only $49 for this impressive app.

I only use this Capture One Pro 12 > Photos > Luminar 3 workflow for my favorite shots. The rest of the images are backed up traditionally via hard drive in Capture One. But those favs... they are culled out and are now in my pocket, and available to share at anytime, anywhere.

Luminar Essential Training

You learn all the ins and outs of Luminar via my Essential Training on lynda.com and on LinkedIn Learning. It's fun, and I promise, you will improve your shots.

Learn Capture One Pro

You can get familiar with this imaging software by checking out Capture One Pro 11 Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning. You can also tune in on lynda.com if you prefer your training there. My updated Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training should be out next month. Stay tuned.

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

If you don't like changing lenses on your Micro Four Thirds camera, you might be interested in the new Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm that covers a whopping 24-400mm effective focal length.

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm F3.5-6.3 lens features dust-proof and splash-proof construction, making this lens durable enough to withstand the toughest shooting conditions, especially when paired with a weather-sealed Olympus OM-D camera body.

ERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating, Olympus' cutting-edge thin-coating technology, cultivated from multilayer film disposition technology used in microscopes, has been applied to the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm F3.5-6.3 lens to drastically reduce ghosts and flares, contributing to a clear, high-contrast image.

The lens weighs 1 pound (455 grams) and has a f/3.5 to f/6.3 maximum aperture. When shooting wide, the closest focusing distance is approximately 22 cm (approximately 10 cm from the end of the lens) from the main subject for capturing the subject along with an expansive background. When shooting telephoto, the maximum magnification of 0.46x (35mm equivalent) for close-up photography and for significant background defocusing. This do-it-all lens is perfect for close-ups of children's expressions, indoor and outdoor situations and a variety of other subjects.

You can preorder the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm now with an estimated March 2019 delivery. The price is $899 U.S.

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

Lightroom CC photographers rejoice! We now have HDR Merge, Panorama Merge, and HDR Panorama Merge in the latest version of Lightroom CC (V 2.2). And it works great.

Step 1 - Select your images, then go to Photo > Photo Merge.

The process should feel very familiar to you. Select your image, go to Photo > Photo Merge, choose your projection, check the box for Auto Crop unless there's a reason not to, then after merging, adjust the final image with Lightroom's develop tools.

Step 2 - Choose your projection and check the Auto Crop box. Then click the Merge button.

The merging speed with Lightroom CC was quite good, as were the results. I did get one application crash during the final development stage while playing with presets. But the merging itself was, well, seamless.

Step 3 - Fine tune your image with the develop tools.

In addition to the merging technology, we also got the Targeted Adjustment Tool in this version of Lightroom CC, making version 2.2 an excellent update.

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #674, Feb. 12, 2019. Today's theme is "Photography and Copyright - An Interview with Maggie Hallahan." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The online world has changed the business landscape for artists who care about protecting their intellectual property. But there are reasonable, affordable steps that you can take to protect your images from being used by others without your permission. And on this week's show, I talk with professional photographer Maggie Hallahan about those very steps. I hope you enjoy the show.

Photography and Copyright - An Interview with Maggie Hallahan

Even though Maggie's client list include big names like Microsoft, the things she's learned to prepare her for those jobs can help us in our everyday photography projects. In this interview, Maggie covers the specific steps that she takes to copyright her images.

Maggie Hallahan

You can learn more about Maggie by visiting her site, mhpv.net.

Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Here's how to create a professional looking contact page in Portfoliobox. This step-by-step video makes it easy, and you will have your online in just minutes.

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

Photo Contest: Up Close

To enter, send your best close-up image to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Feb. 12, 2019. Subject Line: Up Close. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

Speaking of winners, congratulations to Rhys Gwyn - Tops in the TDS B&W Portrait Challenge. To honor his top entry, Rhys will receive a 1-year Portfoliobox Pro site upgrade. Way to go!

To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

ProGrade Digital's Recovery Pro Can Save Lost RAW Photos

As reported on Petapixel.

Recovery Pro goes beyond JPEG files and recognizes other types of photo files as well, including most types of files (including RAW) from cameras by companies like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, DJI, GoPro, and more (e.g. TIF, CRW, CR2, DNG, NEF, ORF, SRF, PEF, JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG). In total, the software is currently capable of recovering over 90 different types of photo, video, and audio files from SDXC, microSDHC/XC, CompactFlash, and CFast cards.

ProGrade Digital Recovery Pro is compatible with both Windows 10 and Mac OS X, and it's available for $50 for a 12-month subscription. If you'd like to give it a try, there's also a "try before you buy" evaluation copy.

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

The reserve list has filled up, and registration starts next week. If you want to be on the waiting list, drop me a line via the Contact Form on www.thenimblephotographer.com.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper - Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

The Story Photography studio space is compact, but that doesn't mean that I don't want big results. And more often than not these days, I'm depending on the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO lens to deliver the goods.

Olympus E-M1 Mark II with 25mm f/1.2 PRO lens, ISO 400, f/1.4, 1/80th with LED lighting. Photo by Derrick Story. Model: Aisha Simon.

It's super fast aperture allows me to shoot with LED lighting in a softbox with a very reasonable ISO 400 for the Olympus E-M1 Mark II. Images are crisp at f/1.2 and f/1.4 - I rarely stop down more than that. And the focusing is swift and accurate.

You can see more of Aisha Simon by visiting her Instagram Page. Photo by Derrick Story.

In addition to its technical prowess, however, I really like the natural perspective I can achieve with this lens, even in relatively tight quarters. The images have a feeling of "being there" that I find so appealing.

In terms of specs, this optic has just about everything a micro four thirds photographer would want in the studio.

• 50mm (35mm Equivalent)
• Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
• Three Extra-Low Dispersion Elements
• One Aspherical Element, Four HR Elements
• Z Coating Nano
• MSC High-Speed Imager AF System
• Internal Focusing, MF Clutch
• Weather-Resistant Construction
• Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm
• 14.46 oz / 410 g

Pro specs at a pro price. Currently the lens sells for $1,100. But I can't image portrait work without it.

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #673, Feb. 5, 2019. Today's theme is "3 Stories About the Dawn of a New Flickr Era." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Photographers with free Flickr accounts will be limited to 1,000 photos starting today. Pro users see their annual fee rise to $50. Given all of the other options that we have in the marketplace, why should we even concern ourselves with this? I'll provide not one, but three answers to this, and more, in today's TDS Photography Podcast.

3 Stories About the Dawn of a New Flickr Era

Answering the question, "Why should we care?" is a dicy proposition with any topic these days. So I thought I would start by telling a true story that one of our listeners recently experienced.

The Story of Charles Peterson and the U.S. Postage Stamp.

Charles recently sent this email to me:

One of my photos was used as a reference for painting a USPS stamp celebrating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The photo is of a replica of Union Pacific Engine 119. It was taken on December 29th, 2013 at the Golden Spike National Historical Site, Box Elder County, Utah. This engine is a copy of the locomotive that met the Central Pacific Railroad's Jupiter engine at Promontory Summit in 1869 during the Golden Spike ceremony commemorating the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the issuance," the Postal Service said. "Michael J. Deas painted the Jupiter and No. 119 stamps. Kevin Cantrell illustrated the stamp depicting the ceremonial golden spike and did the border treatments and typography for all three stamps.

The Transcontinental Railroad stamps will be issued as a set of three in a pane of 18, with a May 10 first-day ceremony in Promontory Summit, Utah. The railroad's last spike was driven on that date and at that location 150 years earlier, in 1869.

The two train stamps appear to be horizontal commemorative size; the third stamp is smaller and depicts the golden spike that was a prominent part of the ceremony.

So how did Chuck become involved?

In February of 2017, I was contacted by a research company called PhotoAssist (http://photoassist.com/) that, among other things, helps the USPS find reference materials for creating stamps. They apparently found my photo on Flickr.

Last September they told me they wanted to use my photo and sent me a contract for $750. I have found Flickr to be a very important resource for sharing my photography. I use Creative Commons - Noncommercial - No Derivatives license. Many of my pictures have been used by conservation organizations, government agencies, schools, etc. I post medium resolution files and allow them to be downloaded. I have been paid for a few things but that was not my goal.

I highly recommend visiting Chuck's Flickr page, petechar

The Digital Story - Digital Photography Public Group

If you seek a community for your photography, there is a vibrant one right under your nose.

Current membership for The Digital Story - Digital Photography Public Group is 3,286 photographers publishing 78,551 images. Thousands of visitors scroll through these photographs annually, and this is also the source for the TDS Member Photo of the Day. Over the years I have curated 36 Galleries of Amazing Images, and we are stronger today than ever.

To create this place of sharing, exploring, and enjoying high quality photography, without Flickr, would be a much different proposition all together.

Why This is the Dawn of a New Flickr Era

Back in November 2018, Thomas Hawk wrote this in his article titled, Why Limiting Free Users to 1,000 Photos on Flickr is a Smart Move:

Besides the obvious business model reasons why this is a smart decision for Flickr and their users, there are other important reasons this makes Flickr better as well.

Also, if people are willing to pay for something they tend to put more effort into it. If you are paying for something and perceive it's value you'll care more, contribute more and be a part of something. These are the accounts that I value on Flickr the most.

Under the new business model, not only will Flickr become more financially stable, it will also begin to evolve upwards in terms of artistic quality.

How Portfoliobox Helped Me Connect with Models

Recently, I had to find new models to help me with some upcoming projects. In the past, my success rate for connection hadn't been as high as I thought it should be.

However, this time in my follow up notes, I included a link to my new Portfoliobox site - derrickstoryphotography.com. The turnout has been amazing.

I asked one model how important the About Me page plus the curated galleries were to her decision to work with me. She said it was vital. "I want to know that I'm working with someone who is legit and who will capture me in the best light. Your site gave me that confidence."

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

Photo Contest: Up Close

To enter, send your best close-up image to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Feb. 12, 2019. Subject Line: Up Close. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

Speaking of winners, congratulations to Rhys Gwyn - Tops in the TDS B&W Portrait Challenge. To honor his top entry, Rhys will receive a 1-year Portfoliobox Pro site upgrade. Way to go!

To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

Do You Have a Lens that You will Never Sell?

I read this interesting article on FStoppers, where the author stated that he would never sell his Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 telephoto.

This got me thinking about my current stable of optics and if any would qualify for the "Do Not Sell" franchise tag. After some pondering, I did come to the conclusion that my Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 and my Olympus PRO 45mm f/1.2 both deserved the franchise tag.

Do you have a lens that you would never sell? If so, share it in the comments area of the Facebook post about this podcast.

TDS Workshops Update

Joshua Tree Update

Our Spring workshop in the high desert is sold out. But but I promise that we'll share reports from the event.

San Francisco Street Photography Workshop

I think after 5 great seasons, this workshop has run its course. At the moment, I don't have enough deposits to move forward with the event, so I'm going to cancel it. Thanks to everyone who has made this event one of my favorites!

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

If you do want to join us July 17-19, and I hope you do, please visit the Workshops Signup Page and place your $100 deposit. That will secure your ability to attend when official registration begins later this month. You can also read more about the event on the TDS Workshops page.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper - Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

One of the big changes in Photos for macOS Mojave was Apple stepping out of the printing business. You can no longer build greeting cards and calendars directly in the Photos app with Apple design tools. Instead, you can tap 3rd party vendors such as Mimeo or Motif.

The Motif interface for card design within the Photos app.

These tools are pretty good. I like the Motif interface in particular. It's clean and flexible, allowing me to customize just about any template to my own tastes.

Once I design the card, ordering it online is a straightforward affair. There is the initial signup process, but once that's accomplished, I can place my order from directly in the Photos app and receive my cards via postal mail a few days later.

For this workflow, most would say that the Apple change wasn't too disruptive. True, you don't get as many or as creative templates to work with via the 3rd party vendors, but other than that, the process isn't that much different.

Unless... you like to print these cards yourself as well using the inkjet printer that's sitting on your desk. After hours of experimenting and researching, I still have not found a way to design a card in Motif or Mimeo, then print a high quality version at home. That function is simply gone.

With the previous Apple tool, I could generate a PDF version of my design, then proof it on my inkjet printer or use is as a title for a slideshow. Having this capability was extremely handy. Outside vendors simply have no interest in providing this for us, because it doesn't generate sales. I get that. But my only proofing option now is to place an order and see what comes back in the mail. That's not really proofing, is it?

I have experimented with other home options, such as designing the card in Pages. But to be honest, it's not nearly as easy or convenient. Plus the pervious Photos method stored the designed card in my Projects area so I could go back to it at any time.

There is one faint silver lining to all of this for home printers. Apple does allow previous card projects to be exported as PDF documents. So you can still print at home the stuff that you created in the past.

You can still output to PDF your previous card projects created in earlier versions of Photos.

The bottom line is this: If you like designing cards in Photos and don't mind ordering them from a vendor, I would take a look at Motif. It's quite nice. But if you're a home printer, and want a convenient way to create these yourself, I still haven't found the perfect solution.

But I promise... I'll keep looking.

Learn Photos for macOS Mojave Inside Out

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

It's no secret. The vignette tool in Capture One Pro left plenty to be desired. But with the release of version 12, we now have the Radial Gradient Mask. And suddenly, we have much better control for creating a vignette effect.

Standard vignette in Capture One Pro. For portraits like this, the shading covers part of the face, and there's no way to position the effect. Photos by Derrick Story.

The steps to create a radial mask are as follows:

• Create new Empty Layer in the Layers panel.
• Choose Draw Radial Gradient Mask from the brush tools in the Layers panel.
• Adjust the size and shape of the mask by dragging on its handles.
• Use the tools in the Exposure panel to adjust the tones of the mask.

It's that simple! Here's a radial mask in progress.

You can toggle the red mask indicator on and off by pressing the M key.

And here's the finished (and improved) vignette using the radial gradient mask.

More natural vignette effect using the radial gradient mask instead of the vignette tool.

At first you may think that's it's more complicated to create a mask than just using the vignette slider. But to tell you the truth, once you've done it a couple times, it's just as easy... and so much better.

Learn Capture One Pro

You can get familiar with this imaging software by checking out Capture One Pro 11 Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning. You can also tune in on lynda.com if you prefer your training there. My updated Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training should be out next month. Stay tuned.

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #672, Jan. 29, 2019. Today's theme is "The Olympus OM-D E-M1X - It's Not What You Think." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

One of the first questions that you may have asked yourself after hearing about the E-M1X is: "Why did Olympus make this camera?" It's relatively big, somewhat expensive, and it's not full frame. The Internet is brimming with posts explaining why this camera won't succeed. What they're missing is the bigger picture. And I'll tell you what that is in today's TDS photography podcast.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1X - It's Not What You Think

The 20MP Olympus OM-D E-M1X ($2,999) has an impressive spec list.

• Computational Photography Functions Powered by Dual TruePic VIII Image Processors (digital neutral density filter for example)
• Integrated Vertical Grip, Dual Batteries
• Dual SD Memory Card Slots
• Handheld High Res Shot mode - 50 MP
• Built-in Field Sensor System sports an integrated GPS module (GLONASS and QZSS) along with an electronic compass, manometer, temperature sensor, and acceleration sensor.
• DCI 4K/24p & UHD 4K/30p Video Recording
• 5-Axis Sensor-Shift IS up to 7 stops
• 15 fps Shooting and Expanded ISO 25600
• 121-Point All Cross-Type Phase-Detect AF
• Super Weather-Sealed Construction

Will this be the next camera for the greater Micro Four Thirds audience? Probably not. But that's not why Olympus made it...

The Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Allowing visitors to right-click on images so that they can save them.

To enable the right click and allow your visitors to save your images, go to Settings. Under General, in the Website section, check the box Enable Right Click.

You can read the step-by-step instructions right here!

Photo Contest: Up Close

To enter, send your best close-up image to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Feb. 12, 2019. Subject Line: Up Close. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

Speaking of winners, congratulations to Rhys Gwyn - Tops in the TDS B&W Portrait Challenge. To honor his top entry, Rhys will receive a 1-year Portfoliobox Pro site upgrade. Way to go!

To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training Coming Soon

Just wanted you to know that I'm putting the finishing touches on my Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training title that will be available on LinkedIn Learning and lynda.com. Capture One Pro 12 is an outstanding release, and I think you will enjoy learning all about it. Stay tuned!

TDS Workshops Update

Joshua Tree Update

Our Spring workshop in the high desert is sold out. But but I promise that we'll share reports from the event.

San Francisco Street Photography Workshop

I think after 5 great seasons, this workshop has run its course. At the moment, I don't have enough deposits to move forward with the event, so I'm going to cancel it. Thanks to everyone who has made this event one of my favorites!

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

If you do want to join us July 17-19, and I hope you do, please visit the Workshops Signup Page and place your $100 deposit. That will secure your ability to attend when official registration begins later this month. You can also read more about the event on the TDS Workshops page.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper - Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

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